K: Queen Era
by LightMidnight
Summary: "I'm not a hero. I would never consider myself lucky for being chosen by the slates. Hell, without this power I'm just a normal human being like everyone else. Even so, I'm not going to let what I've been given go to waste."-Minori knew she had a choice whether or not to become involved two of her favorite clans' war. Whether or not it was a good idea was still unknown. Multi x OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello folks!**

 **I'm back at it again with making a new story ;) Honestly, I think I have a problem but oh well lol. All you need to know is I've loved K ever since the first episode and I've had a story on my mind forever now. This of course will follow the plot like it's supposed to, but I'm making some drastic changes so most of the outcomes will be different. As for the pairings? Undecided. I may or may not have more than one OC because I love all of the characters to death. We'll start slow for now, shall we?**

 **Without further ado, I hope you enjoy!**

 **~*~*'K: Queen Era'*~*~**

 **Prologue**

 **(x0x)**

In all of my years of living, nothing could have prepared me for this.

I was just fourteen when the power of the Dresden Slate claimed my very being. 'The power of a King', most would call it.

But I knew for a fact that this was different.

I had seen a King's power in action before. At times it would be beautifully manifested; in control by its user and unparalleled to many. Other times, however, it would be unstable and dangerous to those around it.

The Kagutsu Crater was a prime example of a King losing control of his power.

To be honest, I think that's what worried me so much. I didn't think I was capable of harboring such an important feature. I was still so young, so inexperienced and oblivious to the wrongs of the world. I didn't want that kind of power overcoming me and potentially falling into the wrong hands. How could I not have been?

Like I said before, though, this was different.

Something I couldn't quite put my finger on. It felt different, but everything including my aura was similar to that of a Kings. I didn't know what to call it back then, this power of mine.

But I do now.

And that's what scares me.

 ***Present Day***

"Here you go, miss."

"Thank you." The young woman smiled, taking the takoyaki from the vender presenting it to her and giving him yen in return. He wished her a good day as she turned, taking a bite of the delicious food and continuing her stroll through one of Shizume cities parks.

The woman was pleasantly surprised. The forecast had left much to be desired for the entire weekend, but it turned out to work in her favor after all. Instead of the promised rainfall, the sun poked itself out of the brief cloud coverage in the sky, warming up her skin with its rays. Despite the small chill, it was beautiful out.

She tucked a piece of cream-colored hair behind her ear that had fallen in front of her mauve eyes. Other people seemed to be enjoying the day just like she was, from children chasing each other around patches of grass to couples splayed out on the benches, wrapped in each other's embraces. The blonde's smile widened.

 _I'm glad everyone seems to be happy._ She thought to herself contently.

Seeing the happiness on someone's face really brightened her day. This was a lovely city, with lots of lovely people in it. They deserved that much.

Well, most everyone did.

The woman finished her takoyaki, passing a nearby trash bot and waiting for the lid on the top to open so she could dispose of the stick. After tossing it in, she gave the bot a gentle pat.

"You're too kind." It complimented, much like every bot when it experienced a good deed.

"Of course." She knew that she didn't need to respond, but she did anyway. Bots weren't people, but they still did a good job at keeping everything clean. To her, that deserved some praise.

Before the blonde could pick up where she left off and continue her stroll, she was struck in the side by an unnamed force, causing her to jolt forward and land harshly on the cement. She groaned unpleasantly, pain in her shoulder sprouting where she had hit the floor.

"Damnit! Hey pal, watch where you—O-oh crap.."

The woman rolled over, sitting up and fixing my jacket while searching the area for the perpetrator. _I really don't understand why he told me to watch out when he was the one to run into me first…_

Her gaze landed on the flustered male sprawled out in front of her, his expression embarrassed as she blinked at him. His cheeks were a furious red color, hazel eyes darting away from her as he rubbed the back of his neck. He wore a black beanie over his russet locks, followed by a light pair of headphones around his neck and a baggy white tee that was tightened at the waist by a red hoodie. Despite his questionable clothing choice, she could tell that he was a compassionate person. It floated off of him in waves.

It clicked in her mind. He must have felt terrible for the accident he caused.

"Are you alright? That was quite the collision we had there." The blonde joked lightly, pulling herself up off the ground and reaching out a hand towards the fallen male. Instead of accepting her hand, though, he shot up out of his position, skirting a few feet away from her and clutching a skateboard in his grip tightly. He must have been riding that while they collided.

"D-d-don't worry about it, I-it's all g-good." He stammered, almost making it hard for her to understand what he was saying. She tilted her head to the side. He didn't give himself a concussion, did he? He didn't seem to have any blood anywhere…

"Are you sure? The least I could do is check you for injury real quick—"

" _No!_ Really, it's f-fine!" she jumped a bit at his outburst, peering at him with wide eyes. He looked away sheepishly, cursing at himself for letting her get to him so easily.

"Alright…" she trailed off, shifting from one foot to the other awkwardly. Never before had she met someone so eager to get away from her. It was almost a bit insulting. And here she was, trying to make sure he was in good condition!

"Yata! I told you to wait for me!" a voice shouted from behind them, making them both turn to look at who it was. A tall, stout man with blonde hair and shades stopped a few feet away, bending at the knee and gripping his track suit as he gasped for air. The poor guy had probably ran after the smaller male, but it was obvious he couldn't keep up. Not with him riding a skateboard at the speed he originally had been.

The russet-haired boy, whom she now knew was named Yata, turned around and lost the color in his cheeks as he glared at the man behind him. "Seriously, Kamamoto! I told you I was goin' off on my own today!"

Kamamoto let out an uncharacteristic whine. "Sorry…look on the bright side though, there's tons of food vendors out today! We could get some good chow." He perked right up at his own words, making the blonde woman stifle a giggle behind her hand. Kamamoto looked in her direction, startled by the sound. "Oh, who's this?"

Yata paled, head whipping back to the young woman standing in front of him. She looked at the both of them with amusement in her eyes. "I-I dunno, I kinda bumped into her..."

"It's okay, really. I'm more worried about how you're fairing at the moment." She said politely, bowing her head to the both of them. "Even though you didn't tell me your names directly…it wouldn't be fair of me to know them without returning the favor." She reached out, extending a hand to the two. "Minori Kasahara. A pleasure to meet you both."

Yata only looked at her hand, his face flushing once again. He flinched away from the appendage so slowly that she barely noticed the movement. Minori lifted a brow. Did she have something on her hand?

Before she could retract her hand a large, meaty palm gripped hers and shook it up and down. "Sorry about Yata, he's afraid of girls." Kamamoto referred to his friend, making the hazel-eyed boy growl. "Rikio Kamamoto, but everyone calls me Kamamoto."

"I'm not afraid of girls, you bastard! What d'you think you're saying?!" Yata snapped, yanking the larger man down and gripping his neck in a headlock.

"Ow, Yata! Let go!"

Instead of watching their argument and laughing at their antics, Minori stood perfectly still. Her mauve eyes widened the slightest bit at the brief contact between herself and Kamamoto. That spark of energy was unmistakable.

These two were clansmen.

 _And not just any kind of clansmen,_ she said as an afterthought. By Yata's fiery temper and Kamamoto's warmer-than-natural palm, Minori figured they were clansmen for the Red Clan, HOMRA.

Of course, she had her suspicions when the redhead bumped into her, but the contact was so quick that she couldn't fully detect any type of aura from him. This also had her wondering if they could detect her aura as well.

Like knows like, after all.

She was interested in getting to know more about the Red Clan. Really she was, but there was a time and place for things like that. And she had a feeling that this wasn't the time nor the place for such information to be passed around.

Something glinted on the ground nearby her feet. Minori looked down in curiosity to see that it was a PDA, flames decorating the back of it and a single word etched onto the surface. **HOMRA.**

The blonde picked up the cell-like device, looking at it closely. The bar not too far from there was also titled HOMRA. Minori was no stranger to that area around the bar. She had passed it here and there, but she had never went inside. Being that she was still underage, there would be no reason that she would visit and sit down for a drink.

Minori chose to interrupt the two male's bickering before it escalated any further. "Um…" she started lamely, drawing the duo's eyes on her. She flashed the PDA in her hand to them. "Hate to come between your bonding moment gentlemen, but one of you dropped this."

"T-that's mine!" a hand quickly swiped the PDA from her grasp, making her recoil as if she was burned. _Typical flame users._ "Thanks…" Yata grumbled, pocketing the device and not meeting her eyes as he thanked her. She smiled at his shyness, accepting it nonetheless.

"You're welcome." She chirped back, deciding to make her leave and turn on her heel. There was still an errand she had to run before returning home, and she had spent enough time at the park already. "I must be going now. Maybe I'll swing by HOMRA one of these days and say hello." She grinned over her shoulder, lifting a hand in farewell.

Yata perked up at the familiar name. How did she know they hung out at the bar? He had never seen her there before. "H-Hey, wait a sec!" he called her to a stop. Minori hummed, turning around to give him her full attention. "How do you know about HOMRA?"

"The bar? Or the clan you're in?" she replied sneakily, feeling a sudden urge to tease them a bit. She couldn't help it, Yata's expressions were priceless.

Unfortunately, the red clansmen didn't share her feelings. "The hell?! How did you—"

"Call it a woman's intuition." Minori winked playfully, watching the redhead's cheeks heat up. His embarrassment made it all the more fun. "I'd be a fool to not know about the famed Red Clan. You all seem to leave quite the impression on everyone, you know? Word travels fast."

As if hearing her claims, the park quieted down and the whispers of other individuals could be heard. People stopped to stare at the trio standing in the middle of the park, confirming her allegation. Kamamoto looked around hesitantly, leaning closer to Yata. "Uh…Yata…maybe we should—"

"Sounds to me like you're tryin' to look down on HOMRA. You some type of blue or somethin'?" Yata cut off his companion, his eyes narrowing at the blond in front of him. Minori could vaguely see the start of something red outline his body—the red aura.

 _Jeez, the rumors about their temperaments really don't do them justice._

"Of course not. I truly admire the way your clan functions. Even if the people of Shizume don't realize it, you keep them safe." Minori grinned cheekily. "And I'm not a blue clansmen, if that is what you're asking. Far from it, actually."

It only took a second for Minori's eyes to flash and equal time for Yata's aura to diminish completely. The furious male felt a sudden calm roll over his form, making his eyes widen in disbelief as he stared at the blonde.

"I hope the rest of your day goes well. I really must be going now." She said to the duo. Yata's expression was priceless as well as Kamamoto's. Both of their faces were laced with confusion and astonishment, enough to make the blonde chuckle good-naturedly. She didn't blame them. Her powers were something not many had witnessed before.

"Hey, wait a sec—"

Before he could stop her, she disappeared in a flash of violet.

"Damnit! What the hell, man!" Yata snarled, punching a light post next to him and leaving a small dent in it. "Who does that girl think she is? And how the hell did she take away my aura like that?! The only people that have ever done something like that was Mr. Mikoto and that sorry ass Blue King!"

Kamamoto scratched his head, not sure if his companion realized it yet. "Uh…Yata, you know what that means, right?"

" _What?!_ " Yata nearly screeched, his body alight with the familiar aura again. He was about to lash out at a nearby bench when he heard the rest of Kamamoto's speech, his whole form losing its flair and his face paling the slightest bit.

"I think she's a king, too."

 **(x0x)**

Izumo blew a puff of smoke from his cigarette, cleaning the glass in his hand with a pristine rag and peering at his king out of the corner of his eye. Mikoto had looked extremely distracted the past few days, and he couldn't determine why. It would be the same every day; he would wake up a quarter after noon, eat a small breakfast, then leave out the door only to come back at a late time with no answers to where he had been the whole day. It wasn't usually like that. On a good day, he'd tell the bartender at least some of his plans and if he was to be involved in them. Unfortunately, now wasn't the case.

It had most everyone worried, but they weren't nearly as affected as the young strain, Anna. She would follow him in hopes of spending time with him, only to be sent back to the bar if she was caught. It had put the little girl in a sorrowful mood, and that mood was contagious.

"What are you thinking, Mikoto?" Izumo asked the redhead curiously, placing the glass down on the counter and watching as Mikoto inhaled some of his own smoke. His king didn't respond, but he did glance at him before turning his gaze back to the front of the bar. That meant that he was getting ready to leave again.

Izumo sighed, trying again. "You know, everyone is worried about you. You should consider at least telling us where you go off to every day."

"Had I known I'd have a nagging housewife to come back to every day, I wouldn't return." Was his sarcastic retort. That made the bartender roll his eyes. Should he expect anything less from his friend?

"King…"

"Can you feel it?"

Izumo stopped, giving the redhead a questioning look. Feel what? "What are you talking about?"

"There's energy that wasn't there before. Something new." Mikoto's amber eyes flashed dangerously, as if contemplating if the power was a threat or not. He would have to assume the worst. Every day he left to try and find the source of the power, only to find nothing. No matter how hard he had searched, he came up with nothing.

"You don't mean…" Izumo trailed off, narrowing his eyes the slightest bit. His king wasn't a dense man by any means. If there was something that he hadn't felt before, he would go looking for it. That would explain his nightly outtings.

Mikoto hummed, confirming his suspicion. That was all that his friend needed. "We have a new king in our midst."

 **(x0x)**

The very same day, Reisi Munakata sat in his office and sipped his tea lightly, testing out his own aura against the scattered new one he had been surrounded by for the past few days. It was soft, barely there to make an impression, but by no means did he underestimate it. Whoever it belonged to could be a large threat against SCEPTER 4 and the citizens of Shizume.

No matter how many times he pushed out against it, the unknown aura would overcome his own and stall it, as if he was being restrained. He didn't like it at all. It was as if he was being held captive in his own territory. And he highly doubted a strain would have enough power to do something like this.

He clicked a button that stood erect from his desk. Moments later, a busty blonde entered the room, her skimpy blue outfit doing hardly anything to conceal her body. "You called me, captain?" she asked politely, standing tall and awaiting her captain's orders.

Reisi smiled, lacing his hands together and placing his chin on top of them. "Yes, Miss Awashima. I have a proposition for you." He closed his amethyst eyes briefly before opening them again, a new light shining in them. One that his subordinate was familiar with. "Prepare to leave shortly. We have some searching to do."

 **(x0x)**

 **Well this should be interesting.**

 **How did you like it? It was a bit short, but it Is only the prologue. Next chapters will be a lot longer.**

 **Feedback is appreciated! Please review! It keeps me going.**

 **~M**


	2. Chapter One: Ignite

**A/N: Hey everyone!**

 **So this chapter is long overdue. I've had writers block lately, and working isn't helping it along with my ideas. But don't worry, I actually know what I want to do with this story from beginning to end; its just a matter of when I'll have the time to write. So please, bear with me!**

 ***Flashback is in italics***

 **With that said, enjoy.**

 **~*~*'K: Queen Era'*~*~**

 **Chapter One: Ignite**

 **(x0x)**

"It's mine! Give it back!"

" _Yours?!_ You've already had six of them! Minori said to share, not eat them all by yourself!"

"There's plenty more for the both of us, dummy! Now give it back!"

Minori groaned, placing an exasperated hand over her eyes. The bickering had been going on since she came home, and no matter how she wished for it to come to a stop, it hadn't.

A flash of black and blonde scurried around her apartment in a hurry, one following after the other furiously. The male of the two held a bag over his raven-kissed hair, doing his best to glare down at the golden-haired female who stood on her toes to grab said bag.

"No. I'm not giving you more. It's mine now." He said smugly, eliciting a cry from his enraged companion.

"You're just a big meanie! Ugh!" she replied haughtily, whipping her head around to give Minori her best puppy-eyed look. "Nori, tell him to give it back!"

The blonde shook her head and sighed, leaning back against the couch and glancing over at the girl. "Miyu. I have more candy in the cupboard, enough to feed an army. Why don't you just go get another pack?"

At her suggestion, the boy dropped his bag, along with his jaw. "There's more?! But you told us to share!"

"Yes, because I know how fast you two go through food. There is plenty in one package for the both of you."

"Yeah, Seiji." Miyu snickered, placing her hands on her small, dainty hips. Their caretaker chuckled.

Minori could remember their first argument like it was yesterday. She had been living alone and by herself until two years ago. She had been seventeen at the time, just moving into her apartment and she hadn't expected to be gaining two new roommates in the process. Even so, she was glad that she found them…especially during their intense situation.

 _ **(Flashback)**_

 _Minori trekked down the street to the nearest supermarket. She was excited to be on her own for the first time in her life and not have to rely on her parents as much as she had before moving out. She enjoyed working and saving for her own benefits and was thrilled that everything was working out, especially for someone her age. It was rare to hear about a seventeen-year-old that was financially stable._

 _She continued to look ahead, checking off her mental list of things she would need at the store. Unfortunately, her thoughts were soon cut off when she heard the faint sound of crying. And it wasn't from one person, either._

 _The sound was coming from the narrow street to the left, just a few paces ahead. The blonde's intuition was acting up, signaling that something was wrong, and she could feel her aura pulse with the need to protect._

 _Yes, something was definitely not right._

 _Making a sharp turn down the corner, Minori prepared herself in case anyone chose to jump out and attack her. It wouldn't be smart on their behalf and most of the time people avoided doing so, but it was still a possibility that she would have to take in account._

 _Instead of any random pop-ups happening, she squinted to see two small figures huddled together, backed against some trash cans that teetered dangerously close to falling over. A pair of men stood opposite of them, each harboring deep scowls that were directed at the children in front of them. Whatever they had done must have angered them severely._

" _I don't think you know who you're messing with, kid. You need to learn some damn respect for your elders. That's why brats like you rot on the streets. Nobody would take in filthy rats with no manners." One man snarled, clenching his fists tightly to his sides. He looked on the verge of reaching forward and grabbing one of them._

 _Minori paused, drawing out some of her power and using it to shadow herself against a nearby wall. She would be completely concealed as long as she didn't want to be seen. The situation was seeming to get out of hand, and she felt like she would need to step in soon. It made her sick to think that grown men would pick on some kids, no matter what they did._

 _She forced herself to zoom in on the smaller pair. One female with short blonde locks, framing a baby face with cornflower-blue eyes and pouty lips was huddled protectively against a slightly older male with a head of raven-colored hair and furious butterscotch eyes. The two of them seemed to be covered in dirt and scratches, their clothes harshly torn in multiple places from god knows what. This concerned the teen. They would not only need to be cleaned and clothed, but they would need medical attention as well._

" _Seiji…" the small girl whispered to her companion, voice full of dread and fright that chilled Minori to the bone. She sounded weak, as if she had been sick recently. Or maybe she still was. Either way, that wasn't good._

" _Shh. 'S okay. I'll protect you." The boy whispered back, not taking his eyes off of the men. The man that had spoken before growled suddenly, taking a large step forward and making Minori tense._

" _Why don't you speak up, little brats? I want to hear what you have to say. And it better be an apology."_

 _The boy, now named Seiji, glared heatedly back at the man. It was obvious he was about to do anything but apologize. "We don't owe you anything. Leave us alone." He snapped coldly, pushing himself closer into the metal of the trash cans and pulling the girl tighter against his torso._

 _That wasn't the reply the man wanted. Both him and his partner snarled loudly at the disrespect shown to them, each reaching out with claw-like hands to surely give a lesson to the children. "You little fu—"_

" _I don't think so," Minori growled out, coming out from her hiding spot and summoning a protective bubble of aura around the duo. The two men jumped back, their expressions full of surprise and fear. Of course. The second the situation was turned on them they became cowards._

 _The blonde took measured steps towards them, sending them a mocking smirk when they scattered back from the now protected children. As soon as they were far enough, she stopped in the space between both duos. "People like you make me sick. Did you honestly think you'd get away with hurting two defenseless children? Unbelievable." Minori shook her head and sighed, almost a bit dramatically._

 _The more talkative of the two clenched his teeth together. It was obvious that he was short tempered—why would he want to go against someone much stronger them him if he wasn't?_

" _Maybe you should mind your own fuckin' business, wench. I don't care about your freaky little powers, I don't have qualms against putting you in your place too." He snapped, reaching into his pocket and swiftly pulling out an object that glinted in the light. A knife._

 _However, this didn't faze the teen in the slightest. It only made her laugh like it was the second funniest thing she's ever seen. She could feel their disturbed eyes on her form as she hunched over, gripping her knees and trying to stop humorous tears from escaping her tightly clenched eyelids._

" _Oh god, I can't breathe! That's hilarious. You'd actually think that a little thumbtack like that would do damage to me?" Minori straightened, a dangerous glint crossing over her lilac orbs. Her aura rose from the depths of her being, flaring around her and brushing against her like a second skin. She lifted a hand, waving it carelessly and watching in amusement as the knife in the perpetrators hand suddenly shattered, causing the man to yelp in shock. He dropped the remaining pieces of his weapon, cursing angrily and making the split-second decision to run at her and try to gain the upper hand._

 _Minori decided to meet him halfway, appearing in front of him with unparalleled speed. "Boo." She teased, sending a swift kick to his gut and sending him flying into a nearby light post. The frame dented with the force of the impact, and his body fell limp on the ground._

" _Gosh, and I didn't even kick that hard. Oops." The teen drawled, stretching her arms above her head and cracking her neck to the side. The man's companion let out a girlish squeal, turning on his heels and scampering away like a frightened rabbit. Minori could only smirk. Even more cowardly to leave your partner behind to fend for himself._

 _The feeling of nervousness and apprehension brushed against her aura from behind, alerting her to the children behind her. She made sure to withdraw her power while turning around, her eyes connecting with a pair of lilac and brown. One filled with dread, the other filled with wariness. That didn't sit too well with her. Neither of them should have felt that way. They were so young; they deserved happiness like most children their age._

" _It's alright now. They can't hurt you anymore." Minori soothed gently, her voice soft as she slowly kneeled in front of the two. She made sure to keep some distance, just so she didn't scare them off. That was the least of her intentions._

 _The boy, Seiji, narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her kind display. He didn't know who this woman was, just that she had exerted an array of power and she had easily taken down their attackers without difficulty. Still, he didn't understand her motives. For all he knew, she could have wanted to harm them just as those men did. He refused to take that chance._

" _Why did you help us, lady?" the ravenette asked coldly, not caring if his tone was disrespectful. They learned not to trust anyone out on the streets, not even supposedly sweet blondes who came around to save them._

 _Despite the way he spoke to her, Minori stayed smiling. It wasn't anything she hadn't dealt with before. Kids his age tended to have an attitude even when they weren't threatened. "Do I have to have a reason for helping out someone in need?" she asked, resting a hand on her knee. She saw the little girl pull away slightly, looking at her with curiosity instead of fear. Her eyes lightened. She was starting to come around._

" _Well yeah, how're we supposed to know if you mean to hurt us?"_

 _The blonde shrugged, not at all fazed by his morbid question. "If I wanted to hurt you, don't you think I would have done so by now?" she asked with a raised brow, ignoring how the both of them tensed a bit at that. Even if she could have, she wouldn't ever put them in harm's way. She let her eyes roam over the duo once more, her smile dropping in place of a frown. "Despite that…where are your parents?"_

 _A snarl etched its way onto the boy's face at the mentioning of parents. Looks like she hit a sore spot. "We don't have any. We're on our own. Not like we need them anyway, right Miyu?" he directed at the little blonde girl, getting an automatic nod from her. "See? We have each other. Her parents and mine abandoned us, so why would we want them to come back? Adults just ruin it for you in the end." He spat, his nails digging into his palms and leaving indentions behind._

Ahh, I see now. Not related, and they've been living on the streets for god knows how long. _Minori's mind whispered at her._ No wonder they have those views on adults. Poor things have never had a stable family before.

 _She couldn't relate much. Her own family was extremely close and well off, hardly any issues between them. But these kids…had none of that, except for each other. The world hadn't been too kind to them._

 _Her eyes flickered. She wanted to change that._

 _She had the room, she had the money for it, and she lived alone for the first time in her life. Why not add on some roommates to the mix? Sure, she was seventeen and pretty inexperienced with kids. But it was better than leaving these two on the streets to an unforgiving fate. The slates had given her powers for a reason; maybe this was it?_

 _Minori stood, making a final decision as she stuck her hand out to the duo. "Why don't we go get you guys cleaned up and fed? I bet you're hungry." She guessed, giving a smile of reassurance._

 _The boy's nostrils flared, and he looked at her hand defiantly, not wanting to take it. Trust was still an issue in the mix, but Minori wouldn't let that get in the way. She was going to do whatever she could to help these two, even if it hurt her._

" _Seiji…let's go."_

 _The small voice behind him perked up, making his eyes widen in disbelief. He turned to look at his companion. "You're serious? What if she wants to kidnap us!" he hissed quietly, trying his best not to let Minori hear but his effort was in vain. He was a loud whisperer._

" _I think she really means it, though…I can feel it. She's a good person." She muttered, suddenly coughing sporadically into her fist. This only confirmed that the child was sick, worrying Minori even more._

 _The boy, Seiji, grit his teeth in anger and sadness. He could tell she was getting worse and if they didn't get her medical attention soon, she'd be in trouble. He turned back to the blonde teen, the latter still holding out her hand to them. Growling a bit to himself and subduing his pride, he reached out and latched onto her palm firmly. "Please…help us." He said weakly, having no strength to decline anymore._

 _Minori grinned, pulling him up along with Miyu and placing her hands on top of their heads._

" _You don't have to worry about anything anymore. I'm here."_

 _ **(End Flashback)**_

They had gone straight to the hospital after that. Miyu had caught a nasty case of pneumonia that would have been twice as bad had they waited any longer. Luckily, all it took was some prescribed medicine and a nice week's rest.

The two had been wary of her apartment at first. Apparently it had been years since either of them lived under a roof, which didn't really surprise Minori; except for the fact that she considered it weird, having not ever seeing them on the streets. In the moment it didn't matter.

Despite it being her first time caring for children, she didn't have to do much. They grew accustomed to picking up after themselves rather quickly, being old enough to bathe and clothe themselves properly, but cooking was different. That was okay with her, though. She didn't mind making food for two more. It was actually rather comforting, not being on her own like she thought she would be.

A pleasant surprise as well was that they were actually rather educated. Minori didn't work often (being the daughter of a well-known politician had its perks) so in her spare time she thought it would be best to school them herself until they were old enough to enter high school. Neither Miyu nor Seiji minded her teachings, both learning at a lively pace and reciting things like the back of their little hands.

Over the next two years, she learned a vast amount of information about her charges. Seiji had been nine, and Miyu seven when she took them in, making them eleven and nine now. It had come as a shock to her due to their seemingly unique matureness.

She had also learned of their past. Both had been steady friends since infancy, with neighboring families so they were always close to one another. Unfortunately both families proved to have similar problems.

Drugs.

Of course they weren't exactly sure what it was, but they were too young to understand. Upon hearing their stories, it had been predictable for Minori. Buying and selling drugs with children present was a dangerous, tangible thing. Add on bankruptcy and that would drive anyone insane. Unstable enough to abandon one of the most precious things in your life; family.

Minori had been incredibly upset when she found this out. She still did her best to keep that anger hidden from the kids. They didn't need any more negativity then what they had already gone through.

"Minori?"

The blonde snapped out of her reverie, attention now on the small girl beside her. Miyu sat daintily on the sofa, hands in her lap and platinum head tilted to the side in curiosity. Much like the day Minori discovered her.

She smiled. She was such a cute little thing. Her heart swelled with love when she answered. "Hmm?"

"Are you okay?" Miyu asked hesitantly, reaching out and lacing her small hand with the teens. Minori blinked. How long had she been daydreaming for?

She gripped Miyu's hand with both of hers, rubbing them comfortingly. "I'm right as rain." She joked, albeit a bit halfheartedly. "Enough about me though. Where did Seiji run off to?"

"To get more candy."

She rolled her eyes. Why wasn't she surprised? "I hope the both of you limit yourselves. I'm going to be going out to get ingredients for dinner soon and I'd like a list of what you two want." She pat the hand in hers, turning her voice to the direction of the kitchen and raising it. "Did you hear that, squirt? List!"

"Yeah yeah, loud and clear." The ravenette in the kitchen hollered. Minori nodded proudly, standing from her seat and turning back to the prone blonde.

"Hop to it, girly."

 **(x0x)**

It didn't take too long to gather everything she needed from the store. Luckily her charges weren't too picky when it came to food, so she only had to grab a few things for the apartment.

After ringing everything up and grabbing the bags, Minori decided walking would be the best form of transportation. She only lived about fifteen minutes by foot and she doubted she needed a taxi with only three bags in hand.

She sniffed in amusement. Definitely should just walk.

Maneuvering easily through throngs of people proved to be easier then she thought, the crowd only thickening once coming upon a crosswalk. The blonde waited patiently for the light to turn green, humming gently to herself and making the first step once it had changed.

She stopped short.

Her senses suddenly screamed ' _danger'_ at her, alerting her that something was wrong. It wasn't just a gut feeling, either. There would be times that her seemingly six sense would warn her in time before something harmful happened, and it never strayed to be correct.

Just as Minori placed her foot on the asphalt, she whipped both arms out to stop the barrage of people from continuing ahead of her. "Stay where you are! Don't move!" she warned loudly, surprisingly stopping both ends from walking across the street.

The loud whirr of an engine rapidly approached them, angry and echoing honks surrounding the area as a large van cut straight through the intersection, guns sticking out the windows and firing shots at the cars trailing behind them. The crowd screamed in terror at the frightening situation, causing Minori to drop and lose her groceries in the fray of chaos.

She sighed in frustration.

That was the second time this week that she had lost her supplies.

Wonderful.

That wasn't the worst part. If those bullets got anywhere near her area, someone would get hurt or possibly even killed. And she would _not_ stand for death. Not if she could help it.

So she did the one thing she knew she could count on.

She called on her aura.

Her power curled around her body and she concealed it enough so the people around her were left oblivious. Minori slipped around the frightened crowd, slipping into the backstreets so she was alone to do as she pleased.

Pooling her power around her lower body, she quickly and efficiently pushed off the ground and made her decent to the rooftops. She would have a better viewpoint from above.

She cut from roof to roof with impressive speed, focusing on the sound of gunshots from the streets below. She searched left and right for the high speed chase until she came up right next to it, zigging when it zigged and zagging when it zagged. She ran through different scenarios in her head; some dangerous and some risky, but all were effective if she did them correctly.

 _I could probably blow out the tires, but that would likely cause a spinout and the car could crash into civilians. Oh, and…_ she zoomed in on the two vehicles behind it. _No police lights and no emblems, so that has to be SCEPTER 4. Better lay low on this one or it will be me that they're taking in._

Fortunately for her, the blues chased the perpetrators into a vacant factory lot, one bordering dangerously close to their base. If she was quick about her interference, she was sure she could go undetected. Minori doubted that the members of the clan would be able to feel her aura, but if she was close enough to their king, he definitely would.

Just the thought made her shiver uncomfortably.

The screech of tires caught her off guard, making her snap her head towards the scene below. Three men hastily scrambled out of the car, taking cover on the other side while one kept shooting. One other man was holding his head in his hands as if he was combatting inner demons, but Minori knew better than to think it was for that reason.

Her suspicion was confirmed when the man turned around, the air warping around him dangerously. She made to shout out a warning to the clan members just now exiting their vehicles, but it was too late.

In a flurry of motion, the man outstretched his hands and directed a wave so powerful that it knocked the members and their vans back, sending them crashing into the cement. Weapons, car parts, and debris were scattered everywhere creating a look of a scene from a warzone movie. It wasn't long until the criminals with the guns picked up shooting, sending the prone swordsmen to scamper behind cover. They were now on the defensive.

Oh great. Add on a strain to the mix and this makes everything twice as better.

The blonde bit her lip so hard that she almost drew blood. Whoever these men were, they were strong and they shot to kill.

 _Screw it. Fight now, explain later._

She had the element of surprise.

Minori jumped down, her aura increasing tenfold and flaring wildly around her as she landed in the middle of the two. The violet color surrounded the men's guns, clamping down harshly and shattering the base of the metal. Both of the perpetrators yelled out in shock, clasping their smoking hands in pain.

Before they could see her, she shot behind the tipped cars of the blues, ignoring there shocked cries and crouching beside the injured members. There were four of them; three outside battered and bruised and one still inside the van, silhouette against the window. He was knocked out cold, but luckily still breathing.

"W-Who are you?" one of them asked, his red hair scuffed and dirty from the attack. "It's dangerous here! You need to vacate the area—"

"Thank you for caring about my well-being, but I assure you I'll be just fine." She cut him off, ignoring the looks the other two shot her. They didn't have much time until the strain attacked again, what were they doing? "Do you think you're still fit enough to fight?"

The three of them nodded firmly, the redhead gripping his sword in the process and narrowing his cerulean eyes on her. "I still don't think you should be here, miss. This is a SCEPTER 4 matter—"

"Drop it, Domyouji." His companion interrupted him in exasperation, his hair a stark green color. His coal eyes drifted over to her, assessing her like he would an important document. "I can feel her aura. And if you were paying enough attention, you would have seen the way she eradicated their weapons with it. You wouldn't happen to be a strain, would you miss?"

"I can promise you that I'm anything but. It shouldn't be too hard for you to figure out." She teased gently, and his eyes widened in realization. Yes, she was anything but. The air around them began to thin, signaling her that the strain was drawing in his power again. That could prove to be bad.

She had to move quickly.

"Here's what we're going to do." She decided, poking a finger into the dirt and drawing two squares. Their car and the criminals. "This is us, and this is them. I'd say we have about two minutes until that strain uses his power again. You leave him to me. I should be quick enough to take him out. While I engage him, one of you can cover me while I go around this side," she drew a line leading to the left side of the vehicle, the side where the strain was on. "And while we're busy with that, another one of you guys needs to take out the other two. They're weaponless and injured, so that shouldn't be too tough. And lastly, one of you needs to take care of your friend in the van. He's unconscious and most likely has a head injury. That can prove to be fatal so work fast. Everyone decide your roles now, because we have about a minute left."

Minori was proud of herself. She managed to spout all of that in one minute.

The male, whom she knew was named Domyouji, immediately spoke up. "I'll cover you. Once you're within range of the strain Akiyama and I will obtain the other two and Hidaka will stay here and help out Enamoto."

She nodded, learning everyone's names in the process was a good thing.

Thirty seconds.

"We've got time to spare then. Everyone ready?"

Nods from everyone.

Minori grinned, getting up from her crouch and preparing to sprint. "Then let's go."

"Domyouji, ready!" she heard behind her, followed by the unsheathing of a blade.

"Akiyama, ready."

"Hidaka, ready."

 _That's one way to motivate yourself._ Minori mused silently, taking a deep breath and focusing her aura in here hands and feet. _Alright slates, give me some extra motivation too._

"Now!" she called out, zipping out from the cover behind the van and sprinting full speed to the strain. Her plan had caught all three of them off guard, just as she had wanted it to. The strain had his hands covering his head again, not having enough to release the pent up power on her and earning a fist full of her aura instead. The hit snapped his head back violently, knocking him on his back. He was out cold.

Minori breathed shakily, watching as Domyouji and who she assumed was Akiyama take down the other two criminals. Just as she had planned. They were quickly cuffed and leaned against their vehicle. Trailing her amethyst gaze back to the SCEPTER 4 side, she saw that the other clansmen had retrieved his partner, using the sleeve of his uniform to stifle the blood flow coming from his head.

"That went much better than I expected…" she mumbled under her breath, wiping the small amount of sweat that built up on her forehead. Almost a bit too easy.

And that's when she heard the faint beeping from inside the car.

" _Move!"_ Minori screamed, using the last few seconds to push everyone near her away with her aura. The three criminals and the two blue clansmen were sent sprawling away, the blonde not sure if she had injured them more or not.

Time stopped and so did the beeping.

She didn't have any time to cover herself. Instead she closed her eyes in acceptance, curled in on her knees and waited.

And waited.

Annd waited.

"What…?" she murmured, opening her eyes slowly to once again take in her surroundings.

Instead of the explosion she was expecting, a blue field of aura covered the completely demolished vehicle. It has exploded, yes, but it had happened inside the bubble. The relief she felt was enormous. No one else had been hurt.

"I believe that settles things." A deep, sultry voice announced in front of her, causing her to look up in shock. There were multiple clansmen around the scene now, each moving with practiced ease while taking in the strain and criminals and providing for their injured comrades.

"Shall I call the fire department, captain?" a woman and three men were making their way towards her, eyes not on her but on the flaming vehicle inside of the aura instead. Her eyes widened at the title.

Captain.

If that was who she thought it was, then she was royally screwed.

"Yes, thank you Lieutenant. Inform them of the damage as well."

"Of course." The woman—who wore a scantily clad uniform that barely covered her body—bobbed her blonde head and vacated his side to make the call.

Minori still hadn't moved from her current spot. It was like she was glued to the ground by an unwavering force, her body stuck to the asphalt as she continued to gaze at this supposed captain. She even took note that he was rather handsome; midnight blue hair that swept down into his bespectacled amethyst eyes, strong jaw with full lips locked into an easy smile. A smile that appeared to be more cunning then anything.

Oh god. This had to be him.

His eyes suddenly met hers, not seeming to be alarmed at her presence, as if he knew she had been there all along. And in seconds, he was in front of her. He towered over her while his subordinates watched a few feet behind him. And if his intimidating height wasn't enough, his aura definitely was.

When it brushed against hers, she swallowed.

It was nothing to underestimate. The raw power that emanated from him was almost frightening, enough to have her tense and lean the slightest bit away from him. He noticed this, smile widening a degree as he reached out a hand to her politely.

"You have my deepest gratitude for aiding my subordinates. A moment longer and they would have had the upmost difficulty finishing their mission." He finished smoothly, an undetected hint lacing his tone. Minori's lips twitched weakly, outstretching her hand and clasping onto his much larger one. And that had been a mistake.

When their palms touched, a zing of electricity shot down her arm, along with a coolness that made her shiver. She quickly but smoothly pulled her hand back to her side. That had settled things. Now she had no doubt that this was him.

The fourth blue king, Reisi Munakata.

Her aura had clashed with his, wanting to suppress it in case of danger, but his closeness provided it to be too difficult. His aura was much stronger then hers.

This was bad. Sosososo bad.

"I-It's no trouble at all!" Minori laughed sheepishly, waving a hand as if it were nothing. Oh, it had been. She would have been toasted takoyaki if he hadn't of stepped in. That only proved that she still had much to learn about her powers. "I'm just glad everyone is okay."

"Quite." Hummed the king, smirking and pushing up his glasses. Minori watched on silently, keeping a friendly smile plastered on her face when she felt anything but. She wondered if he could see the color draining from her face. She could feel it, that was for sure.

"So…thank you for covering that explosion. You really saved my skin there. Well, all of our skins," she laughed nervously, lacing her hands behind her back and squeezing with wild abandon. _Oh man._ "But I do have two mouths to feed at home, so I should probably get going now—"

"Leaving so soon?" Reisi chuckled, easily catching onto her escape plan. What the hell was she thinking?! This guy wasn't stupid. He knew of what she planned to do from the very beginning.

Damn, he was good.

"I believe an introduction is in order before we part ways, yes?" the blue king took a step closer to her, his aura making an escape and reaching out around him. All eyes were on the pair now. "Besides, it would be foolish of me to miss the name of a new king."

His declaration caused a flurry of shocked and surprised whispers to carry out around them, but Minori couldn't focus on them in the moment. Instead she grit her teeth behind closed lips, afraid that if she applied any more pressure they would shatter. She looked up slowly and almost fainted at the sight.

His Sword of Damocles drifted above his head proudly, the elegant sword gleaming in the afternoon sun almost mockingly. He didn't want to fight, did he? She was already too frightened to react against him. She knew she held no chance against the famed blue king, he was on another level compared to her.

So what was he trying to do?

"I…" Minori trailed off, trying to keep the small shakes from swarming her body. Jesus, why was she so afraid?! She was a king too, wasn't she? Or at least something close to it! Hell, she was sure she had a Sword of Damocles too, it just hadn't made itself known yet. But she could at least create a distraction and escape, right?

No, that would be too risky. With this many clan members and a king in his prime to stop her, she didn't stand a chance. She would be restrained before she could draw on her aura.

"Your name, miss?" Reisi asked again, and this time his aura nearly covered her body threateningly.

Okay, now she was starting to get upset. Was this _absolutely_ necessary?

Before she could stop herself, she snapped. "My name, _Reisi Munakata,_ is Minori Kasahara and I am not some common dog to intimidate with your obvious alpha demeanor. I am a human being, just like you and I deserve to be treated as such!"

The area quieted. But the blue king wasn't fazed in the slightest. In fact, he began to grin his infuriating grin once more. "My apologies, I didn't intend to insult you. But for safety precautions, I will need to know a few things about you. You are a new king and we know next to nothing about you, aside from the color of your aura and your name. You can see how that would be a bit suspicious, don't you?"

Minori tensed. Of course that made sense. And it was her own fault that she was being apprehended. She chose to stay and help members of the blue clan. They held authority and safety over most of the city, it was only a matter of time until they found out about her anyway.

"…Fine. But I wasn't lying about having two mouths to feed at home, so I hope this doesn't take too long."

With those words, Reisi's aura diminished along with his Sword of Damocles, making the blonde relax a bit. "It should only take a moment, you have my word." He promised, waving out a hand towards the direction of the newly arrived van. Minori gripped her elbow, shuffling past the king and making her way towards the vehicle.

"I should tell you though, I don't think I'm a king." She said, sighing in defeat. "Or at least I'm not _yet._ It's more like—"

 _ **BOOM!**_

Before she could finish, she was yanked out of the way by a firm grip and brought back to the blue king's side, narrowly missing the large fireball that was directed at her. It sent the blue clan into a frenzy, the lot of them moving into position next to their king.

Minori froze. That wasn't an ordinary fireball, either.

"Hey, you damn blues!"

Her eyes peered through the dust created by the impact. Another line of people stood opposite them, and there was red. So much _red_ that it almost obscured her vision. And then she realized that we was looking at Yata, and Kamamoto and _oh boy was that the rest of their clan?!_

"So HOMRA came to play…why am I not surprised in the least?" she heard a male say from beside her, his voice laced with both amusement and malice. The sound made her shiver. It was obvious the two clans had some type of rivalry going on, and she was still here to witness it all…

Of course. This was going to be the highlight of her freaking day.

 **(x0x)**

 **It's been a hot minute since I've updated! I managed to get over my sudden writers block and post this for you guys, as I know you've been waiting for this for a while. I can say that I was excited to bring in the blue clan, and with the red clan at the end? Things are definitely heating up!**

 **No pun intended (;**

 **But seriously, I hope you all enjoyed! Let me know how you liked it and I'll see you next time!**

 **~M**


End file.
